Harmonic player for keyboard instruments.



J. A. KOCH.

HARMONIG PLAYER FOR KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20,1911.

1,085,140. I Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET l W J07Z72 K0672, 565W Y 13 Q my J. A. KOCH, HARMONIG PLAYER FOR KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

1,085,140. Patented Jan 27, 1914.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i MIMI R L J. A. KOCH.

HARMONIG PLAYER FOR KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911. 1 ()85 4Q Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

4 SHEETSSHEET 3.

Inventor,

him/9.106%,

I fly witnesses.-

COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH CO.\\',\SHINGTON. D, c.

J. A. KOCH.

HARMONIG PLAYER FOR KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

APPLICATION FILED JUNEZO, 1911. 1,()85,14;O Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

1 SHEETS-SHIBET 4.

Inventor;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN A. KOCH, OF ROSEDALE, KANSAS.

HARMONIC PLAYER FOR KEYBOARD INSTRUMENTS.

Application filed June 20, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, JOHN A. Koori, a cit-izen of the United States, residing at Rosedale, in the county of VVyandotte and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Harmonic Players for Keyboard Instruments, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in accompaniments for vocal or instrumental music, and my object is to provide an apparatus of this character whereby a plurality of musical instruments may be operated either separately or simultaneously in accompanying a leading part rendered vocally or instrumentally.

The device, in its preferred form, is arranged to be operated with the feet, so that both hands may be free to operate a wind or string instrument with which the leading part may be rendered.

In its present form the apparatus is arranged for playing a piano, a bass-drum, a cymbal, and a snare-drum, although other musical instruments may be added or substituted to suit the convenience of the player.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, refrence will now be made to the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 shows an elevation of my improved apparatus. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the same with the bass and snare-drums removed. Fig. 3 shows an elongated pedal and an equalizer therefor, employed in controlling the snare-drum. Fig. 4 shows an electric circuit to actuate the snare-drum stick. Fig. 5 is a plan view of a group of devices for actuating certain keys of a piano. Figs. 6 and 7 are sectional views taken, respectively, on lines VIVI and VIL-VII of Fig. 5. Fig. 8 is a detail perspective of one of the devices for actuating certain piano keys. Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged vertical sections taken on lines IXIX and XX, respectively, of Fig. 1. Fig. 11 is a detail of one of four legs for supporting a main frame, employed in carrying out the invention. Fig. 12 is a detail section on line XII-XII of Fig. 10.

In carrying out the invention, I employ a main frame 1, consisting substantially of four supporting members 2, transverse pieces 3 uniting the upper ends of said supporting members, and longitudinal pieces 4, 4 and 1*, connecting said transverse pieces. Frame 1 carries practically the entire apparatus,

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27 1 914.

Serial No. 634,274.

and is portable so that the apparatus may be moved into proper relation with the keyboard A, of a piano, or removed to some point where it will be out of the way when not in use.

Frame 1 is vertically-adjustable through the intermediacy of a plurality of legs 5, so that the key-strikers hereinafter referred to, may be brought into proper vertical relation with the key-board A. This vertical adjustment is had by raising or lowering legs 5 as required, after which they are reliably secured in place by thumb-nuts 6 and bolts 7, the hook-shaped ends of which latter are drawn tightly into engagement with the notched edges 8 of the legs.

9 designates a pedal key-board for actuating two groups of key-strikers 10 and 11, which control certain keys of the piano. The pedal key-board 9 consists of a horizontal row of pedals 12, each of which has a downturned forward end 13, fulcrumed in a socket in a rail 14, extending longitudinally of frame 1. The forward ends of the pedals 12 are held in their sockets by a cap 15, removably-secured to rail 14 by screws 16, and to avoid any noise incidental to the operation of the pedals 12 in their sockets, the latter are lined with cushions 17 of felt or other material, which also extends between the pedals and the cap Upward movement of pedals 12 is limited by a rail 12, provided at its underside with a cushion 12 to obviate any noise incidental to checking the upward movement of the pedals.

The key-strikers comprising groups 10 and 11 are substantially identical in construction each consisting of a lever 18, a crossbar 19 fixed to the downturned forward end of lever 18, and a plurality of cushioned fingers 20 depending from cross-bar 19. The rear downturned ends 21 of levers 18 are fulcrumed in sockets in the longitudinal piece 4 of the main frame 1, where they are secured by longitudinal caps 22, cushions 23 being interposed between the walls of the sockets, the caps, and the downturned ends 21, to obviate any noise incidental to the operation of levers 18. The cross-bars 19 of the respective groups 10 and 11 are arranged as closely together as possible (see Figs. 1 and 5) to avoid material differences in the lengths of levers 18, each of which engages its respective crossbar 19 as near the center of resistance as possible, so that bars may be provided with forwardly extending lingers 20, as shown in Figs. 5 and (5, for manipulating the underlying short black keys at of the key-board A.

The two groups of key-strikers and 11, are actuated by the pedals 9 through the intermediacy of two groups of connecting wires 24- and 25, respectively, the upper ends of which are connected to their respective levers 18, about equal distances from the cross-bars 19, (see Fig. Thus when the pedals are depressed equal distances, notes of similar volume will be produced instead of notes of different volume, as would be the case r if the distances between the cross-bars 19 and the connecting points of the wires with their respective levers 18, were unequal. The wires 21 and 25 are run in a vertical plane as nearly as possible to avoid undue side draft on the levers 18, and since the levers 18 in group 10 are more closely arranged than those in group 11, I. connect a number of the wires to crank-arms 26, fixed to superimposed roclr-shafts 27, carrying a plurality of crzuilt-arms 28, similar to crank-arms 26, and from which short wires 2 1 extend to the underlying pedals 12. lock-shafts 27 are mounted in a pair of standards 27. Each crank-arm 26 has a wire 2% connected thereto, and each crank-arm 28 has a wire 24 connected thereto.

When the key-strikers are drawn downward by depressing pedals 12, they, together with the pedals, are restored to normal by resilient means 29, when downward pressure on the pedals is removed. Said resilient means 29 consists, preferably, of elastic bands, each of which passes beneath its re spective lever 18 and around a pin or screw 80, projecting from a bridge 81 spanning the levers 18, and secured at its downturned ends to the transverse piece 4; of frame 1. Upward movement of levers 18 is limited by regulating-screws 32, adjustably engaging extension 33 of bridge 31, and provided at their lower ends with cushions 3st to prevent noise from the impact of the levers 18.

Vertical guides 35 extending upward from piece land engaging'the sides of levers 18 prevent any lateral movement of said levers which might otherwise be imparted thereto by the more or less side draft exerted thereon by the connecting-wires 24 and 25. Pedals 12 are also held against lateral movement due to the side draft of the connecting-wires, the means employed being a longitudinal piece 12, having lingers 12 between which the levers extend.

36 designates a foot-rest extending across the lower portion of the frame 1, just in the rear of the pedal-board 9, so that the pedals may be operated by the toes while the heels are resting upon the foot-rest. Said footrest is supported by a pair of cushions 37, and a cushion 38, cushions 3'7 resting upon a cross-rail 39. When desired, foot-rest 36 may be removed to gain access to the adjacent mechanism, or it may be raised to suit the convenience of the player by placing other cushions beneath cushions 87 and 38.

all designates an auxiliary frame secured by hinges 1 2, to one end of main frame 1, and having a hinged joint 43, so that it may be folded against frame 1. Frames 1 and '-.l-1 are provided with eye-bolts 11 and 4 5, respectively, to which the ends of a pair of cables lG are attached, said cables and frames forming a cradle for the reception of a bassdrum 1), which is reliably secured in po sition in said cradle by hooks 4:7 and 4:8, carried by frame 1, and engaging eyc-bolts 4:9 and 50, respectively, on the drum.

1 designates a cymbal secured to the rim of drum B, by a lug (.2. Drum 13 and cymbal c aresinuiltaneously sounded by a heater consisting of an elongated pedal 51, a pair of connecting-wircs 52, a lever a drumsticl; 54L and a cymbal-stick 57 secured to the drum-stick. Pedal 51 is arranged between the key-board 9 and the foot-rest 3(3, so that it may be actuated with said pedals when desired, and it is held from lateral or longitudinal movement by a pair of guide-pins 56 extending through two holes 57 in a rail 58, secured to the lowermost transverse pieces Lever is fulcrun'icd on a screw 59 extending through a cushioned-hook 60, removab]y-mounted .in a holder (31, secured to the adjacent end of frame 1. Drum-stick is operatively connected to the outer end of lever 53 by a connecting-bar (32, and is pivotally-secured to the looped end of a bracket (32-3, secured to the rim of drum B and terminating in a cushioned stop (i l, against which the cushioned lower end ($5 of the drum-stick impinges when said drum-stick swings backward from the drum, which movement is quickly accomplished by an elastic band 66, extending around the lower portion of the drum-stick and secured to the rim of drum B.

6'? designates a saddle secured to one end of frame 1, to support a snare-drum (38, which is sounded by a beater comprising a drum-stick (39, an electric circuit 70, and an elongated pedal 71, arranged between the key-board 9 and the foot-rest 36, so that it may be operated with said key-board when desired. Drum-stick 9 is fixed to the armature of an electromagnet 72, said armature bein normally held out of contact with the magnet by a retractil-e spring 73. Magnet 72 is supported by a depending bracket T l fixed to the rim of the snaredrum 68. Circuit 70 derives current from a battery 70, and is normally held open by a circuit-breaker consisting of a stationary contact 75, fixed to rail 58, and a movable contact 76 fixed to pedal 71, which pedal is normally held in raised position by a coil-spring 7'7, fixed at its ends to the pedal and an equalizer 78 secured to the pedal and frame 1, for the purpose of maintaining said pedal in a horizontal position irrespective of whether pressure be applied to the center or either end thereof.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In combination with a drum and a piano, a main frame adapted to be placed in juxtaposition with said piano, a plurality of key-strikers mounted upon said main frame and adapted to actuate the keys of the iano, a edal key-board operablymounte upon t e main frame to actuate said key-strikers, and an auxiliary frame to coact with the main frame in supporting the drum, said auxiliary frame bein hinged to the main frame, against which it is adapted to fold.

2. In an apparatus for actuating the keyboard of a musical instrument, a plurality of key-strikers, each including a pivotallymounted lever, a bridge extending over the levers, resilient means engaging said bridge and the levers to normally hold the latter in raised position, cushioned means adjustably-engaging the bridge to limit upward movement of the levers, means to depress the levers against the action of the resilient means, and vertically-extending guides to prevent lateral movement of the levers.

8. In an apparatus for playing the keys of a musical instrument, a frame having legs resting upon the floor, standards mounted on said frame, a horizontally extending rock-shaft journaled in said standards, two crank-arms fixedly mounted on said shaft, a key-striker lever mounted on the upper part of said frame, a wire connecting said lever with one of said crankarms, a edal mounted on said frame below said shaft, and a wire operatively connecting the pedal with the other crank-arm on said shaft.

4. In an apparatus for playing the keys of a musical instrument, a frame having legs resting upon the floor, standards mounted on said frame, a bank of superimposed rock-shafts journaled in said standards, crank-arms fixedly mounted on each of said shafts, key-striker levers mounted on the upper part of said frame, wires connecting said levers with crank-arms of different rock-shafts, pedals mounted beneath the rock-shafts, and means connecting each pedal to a crank arm.

In testimony whereof I afiix my signature, in the presence of two witnesses.

JOHN A. KOCH.

\Vitnesses:

E. P. HALL, J. A. Swrrmn.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G." 

